Watch this Poor Soul Suffer
by nikitalm
Summary: When Blackbeard finds that Syrena "fancies" Philip, he does not pretend to kill Philip. Instead he has Philip tortured in front of Syrena
1. Chapter 1

Blackbeard: Look. Look! Staked out to die. Only half in the water. Not enough to live but just enough to make the dying slow. Think on it. Your people murdered; harvested for their tears. Syrena, won't you cry?

Syrena: All will die, even you; sooner here.

Blackbeard: Listen. Listen. Can you not hear your sisters screaming? Do you not hear them? We need but one tear. (Blackbeard pushes her away.) Vile creature! We cannot wait for the sun. Perhaps we should build a fire.

Philip: No.

Blackbeard: You will not contest me

Philip: You will not torture her

Blackbeard: I will tear every scale from her body one by one if I see fit. If that displeases you, go pray.

Philip: I was wrong, not every soul can be saved. Yours can not.

Blackbeard: behold gentlemen a man formerly of faith.

Philip: that vile creature as you call her is worth a hundred of you.

Blackbeard: You care for her?. . . You fancy her. Do not deny what is clear to my eyes. The question is, does she fancy you? By God she does. We are in luck. Bring forth a tear or witness the suffering of this poor soul.

Syrena looked on in horror as the quartermaster tied the hands of the struggling Philip above his head around a tall branch after removing Philips vest. Even as the quartermaster stepped back Philip continued to struggle against his bonds. Syrena could see the fear in his eyes as he turned his head to gaze at her.

"Don't give in," he croaked barely above a whisper.

"No," she gasped as she saw what his comment had earned him, a quick punch in the back. His knees sagged slightly.

Syrena's jaw clenched when she caught sight of the long whip the quartermaster was now holding. "Give me a tear girl!," Blackbeard insisted. Her only answer was to turn her head away. Blackbeard would have none of that. He quickly caught her jaw in his iron grip and forced her head in Philip's direction. "Then you shall watch him suffer," Blackbeard stated with a nod at the quartermaster.

Philip clenched his eyes shut in preparation for the first blow but when it came he wasn't nearly prepared enough. As the thin leather sliced through his skin he grunted and his legs sagged a little lower. When the second blow came he found that it was not any better than the first. Pain exploded through him as each new lash forged it's way into his previously smooth skin. By the twentieth blow his legs would no longer support his weight so he hung limply from the bonds securing his arms above him. He didn't have the strength to even hold his head up.

"Cry for me Syrena," Blackbeard whispered in her ear while still forcing her to look at Philip.

Philips spirit held strong as he heard her broken voice answer. "There is only one man here I would cry for and he has asked me not to." Blackbeard let out a growl of anger and frustration before making his next order to the quartermaster.

"Turn him."

"Father please. He has had enough. Your soul father," Angelica pleaded with Blackbeard.

"As the boy said, my soul is lost," he replied coldly as he again nodded to the quartermaster. The man placed a leather mask over Philip's face and stepped back to begin the flogging.

Philip knew this would be worse than the first time just because of the places that the whip would be hitting. As the first blow came he began to panic wondering if he would be able to withstand this pain without begging Syrena to help him. So, he began to do the only thing he thought would be helpful in this particular situation. At first it was just a whisper because that was all his strength could manage. "_Our_ father. . . who art in he. . . heaven," he ground out before another lash struck his exposed chest. The next line was a bit more of a struggle, "hallowed be thy name," and it was barely audible. "Thy kingdom come. . . thy will be done. . . on Earth as it is in heaven."

"Do not stop!" Blackbeard yelled at the stunned quartermaster. Another lash.

"Give _us_ this day _our_ daily bread"

Lash.

"And forgive _us_ our trespasses," with a sob, "as _we forgive those_ who have trespassed against us." If not for the mask, Philip would have been looking directly into Blackbeard's eyes on that line.

Lash.

"And lead _us_ not into temptation but deliver _us_ from evil," gaining more volume by this point.

Lash.

"For _thine_ is the kingdom and the power and the glory. _Forever," _he recited, almost shouting by this time.

Lash

"Amen," was the last word he spoke before succumbing to unconsciousness.

"This is yer last chance. Give us a tear and we'll take him, tend to his wounds, make certain he will live. If ye choose not to then we'll leave ye both here to die."

Syrena could not do as Blackbeard had asked, Philip would not want all his suffering to be for nothing. Besides, he had asked her not to give in. "No," Syrena ground out while staring longingly at Philip.

"So be it," Blackbeard said with a note of finality that left no room for argument. "We'll clear out in the morning."


	2. Chapter 2

Caspian's Princess- Thanks for reviewing. I guess you'll just have to read this chapter and find out.

Aria DeLoncray- That's exactly what I thought he was going to do so that's why I wrote this. Thanks for reviewing. Tell me what you think of this chapter.

Syrena watched with hopelessness as Blackbeard and his men left her and Philip the next morning. She noted how shallow his breathing was. His wounds were not fatal but being left here, tied to a tree to starve would be. And she wouldn't even last as long as him. She would be dead by the end of the day. "Philip," she said softly. He did not stir. "Philip," she said a little louder this time, "wake up." His eyes cracked open and moved to look in her direction.

"Syrena," he said as though her very name was sacred. "Such beauty," he continued. She watched in amazement as he easily slipped his hands from the knots holding them and promptly fell to his hands and knees.

"When did you do that?" she asked incredulously. He began slowly making his way in her direction.

"The very moment I was bound with such atrocious knots," he replied to her with a ghost of a smile which faltered almost immediately, his breath hitching as he tried to move in a way that was too painful. Syrena frowned at him as he reached her and began untying her, her face laced with concern.

"Why did you not attempt an escape?" she questioned.

"Well, I would have most likely been run down, my bonds would have been retied by a more experienced sailor, it is likely that Blackbeard would have become even more angry, I would be in a lot worse shape than I am, and I would not have been able to free you."

"You waited to save _me_?" she asked, again amazed by this man.

"You are different, are you not? You know of kindness. . . compassion?" he said, giving the same answer she herself had given him. She gazed into his eyes filled with bewilderment.

"You are hurt," she stated, coming back to the moment.

"In body only. My soul is at peace," He told her. She remembered his prayer. He had forgiven Blackbeard and every member of his crew.

"I can save you," she told him with a smile.

He did not smile. Instead his face was filled with sadness. "I seek only one thing from you," he said.

"What?"

"Forgiveness. If not for me you would never have been captured."

"Ask," she said, biting her lip.

"Forgive me," he spoke softly. She answered by taking his face in her hands and kissing him, pulling him into the water.

THE END

AN: So, tell me what you think. Reviews are definitely welcome.


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